Chocolate-Hazelnut Biscotti
- ½ cup (2 ounces) hazelnuts
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour l teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (l stick) unsalted butter, at room temperaturel cup sugar
- Grated zest of l large orange
- 2 large eggs l teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ounces (½ cup) mini-chocolate chips or coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate
Instructions:
Biscotti are great for gift giving because they get better as they age a bit.
- Position the racks in the top third and center racks of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Bake until the skins are cracked, about 10 minutes. Place the hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel and rub together to remove as much skin as possible. (Some skin will remain on the nuts, but that’s fine.) Cool, then coarsely chop. Place the chopped hazelnuts in the freezer to cool quickly. Keep the oven on.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together to combine. In another large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer set at high speed, beat together the butter, sugar, and orange zest until very light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. One at a time, beat in the eggs, then the vanilla.
- Using a wooden spoon, gradually beat in the flour mixture just until a smooth dough forms. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts.
- Divide the dough in half. Using lightly floured hands on a floured work surface, form the dough into two 10 × 2-inch rectangular logs. Place the logs on an ungreased baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake until the logs are set and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.
- Using a serrated knife and a sawing motion, carefully cut the logs into diagonal slices about ½ inch wide. Place the slices on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until the undersides of the biscotti are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Turn the biscotti over. Switch the positions of the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking until lightly browned on the other side, about 8 minutes longer. Cool completely on the baking sheets.